Week 4 October 2024, Devotion Part 2

We want you to know, brethren, about the grace of God which has been shown in the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of liberality on their part.  2 Corinthians 8:1-2

“Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How are we robbing thee?’ In your tithes…” Genesis documents the origin of “the tenth,” plainly predating the Law. Chapter 14 describes the war involving the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the abduction of Abraham’s nephew. He boldly rescued Lot and recovered all his goods. Melchizedek, the priest-king of Salem (Christ type) met him with bread and wine and said, “Blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” Genesis 28 tells of Jacob’s encounter with God at Luz, which he renamed Bethel, “House of God.” It ends with the vow he freely took in response to the promise of God’s protection and provision, “…and of all that thou givest me I will give the tenth to thee.”  Is that math too forbidding? What if we thankful ones blessed God more with our obedience and blamed the “liberals” less for our society’s woes?  {Part 2 of 2)

Comment: If the Malachi narrative is proving to be a bit of a downer, we do God’s “messenger” a disservice if we think he’s mostly shoving tithing down our throat.  In chapter 3:16 he writes, “Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.”  So, in the end it’s all about our view of God, and not about His eyeing the size of our wallet.  Let the Macedonians get us back on track with positive, practical guidance. The Apostle Paul continues his “giving” narrative in 2 Corinthians 8:3-5, “For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will,  begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—  and this, not as we expected, but first they gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.”  Have you and I given ourselves to the Lord?  Paul said he gave up all rights to himself for the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ as LORD.  Check out the gospels and epistles to see what kind of obedience that implies.  Now to cut to the chase, how do we give ourselves to our pastors?  Or should we first delineate how they give themselves to us?  Check off first-rate preaching and teaching grounded in prayer; daily “Body-building” by means of Peet’s coffee talks and Bible readings; personal interactions; genuine caring.  Pastor Lance began his ministry in July 2023.  He and Pastor Niki joined Jim Sillerud and my family when he laid my husband’s ashes to rest on the 20th.  Niki Rodas later met with me to lift a burden off my heart that nobody else would ever know about.  On July 16, 2023, there was a notice in the bulletin that mentioned a budget shortfall of $5,700.  On September 22 of this year, Pastor Lance said it had grown to $75,000, yet without a hint of booking guilt trips. Should Malachi or the Macedonians now come to mind, so be it… Some put their money where their mouth is, but I keep mine shut.  Some secret things are just for the eyes of the Lord, who suggested it.   2 Corinthians 8